First off I should probably say not my ideal dream role BUT an ideal dream to work with some of the top people connected with the West End stage.
Let's just start at the very beginning of the day.
Got ready. yep... I actually showered for the audition lol. But seriously. Went into London and got to the audition sight. There were HUNDREDS of girls there and that was only for my time slot. After reading halfway through "The Shakespeare Curse" (good book I highly recommend it) it was finally my turn. So basically I sat on my butt from 1:30 in the afternoon till 4:55 where they took us from one holding cell, I mean waiting area, to the next. After listening to girls freaking out about their hair and how they were sure the producers were going to be mean and nasty to everyone it was finally my turn to line up.
When it was my turn I walked in and had a very nice conversation with the judges. I explained to them how to spell my name (this took most of the conversation time since they couldn't get my last name spelled right lol) where I was from and what I was doing in England. I explained to them I was on a student visa and saw the auditions and wanted to try. They told me when I was ready to go ahead and sing. So I did...
First song Somewhere Over the Rainbow. I'm sure the judges had heard it enough that they were ready to puke but somehow they let me sing through the entire song. Most of the girls I was told they cut them off after the middle part of the song.
After that I got asked to sing my Pop song. I decided that I wanted a really hard core song so I naturally chose Janice Joplin's Piece of My Heart lol. They really seemed to like it and I can honestly say those five minutes in that room were possibly the best audition moments to date.
After I left the room and I sat down and just wanted the rest of the day to be over with. But instead I got called back into the room immediately to talk to them about my visa. You see, there is this little problem with auditioning for a show if you don't have a work visa. While you get to see the judges they can't really move you forward into the next round if you can only work 20 hours a week and most days alone you work 20. So my problem began. I told them I was willing to except the heartache if they ended up having to cut me I just wanted to see how far I could go.
With in this meeting they decided to explain to me that I was what they were looking for both in look and voice but the problem was the visa. One of the judges decided she would go and talk to the head producer and find out if there was any way we could work around it for now.
HMMMMMmmmm.... Now try coming out of an audition hearing that! lol... After all the girls in my group were done singing we were all supposed to go in as a group and be told how we were and if anyone was moving to the next round. But instead they decided I should sing a little more.
Not knowing what was happening I walked in and immediatly asked "So am I here to hear the bad news?" The guy in the room gave a week smile before asking me to sing a musical song. I ended up singing SuperBoy and the Invisible Girl from Next To Normal (amazing show and sound track, check it out!). After that I was asked to leave.
When the whole group came back in the decided to give us this huge speech about how the were having to be tougher with their choices. I didn't make it. I did get held back to be told the only reason I didn't make it to the next round and farther was because of my visa... Stupid visa... Stupid rules....
I think the highlight of the day came after. One girl who had been in my group and had also been the annoying girl singing throughout the entire day ended up telling her father/boyfriend (not sure which. He looked old enough to be her father but they were kinda handsy) that she though I was going to make it but obviously I just wasn't good enough. After me hearing this I guess the diva came out. I had been walking behind them and stated quite bluntly: "Well actually I didn't make it through because I'm only on a student visa. I don't have a work visa. What's your excuse?"
Ok I will admit probably a little mean but here is this girl assuming stuff and after being told that I was soooooo close (yet so far away) I just, well, snapped. I smiled sweetly at her afterwards if that counts for anything.
Long story short to add more sadness to my life my train got halfway back to the beautiful city of Brighton only for it to be announced that the train would be stopping at the next stop and terminating due to signaling errors. Next train I boarded had enough people on it to make Culver look tiny!! Oh and then that train was delayed. This delay equaled lots and lots of people in tight small space, little air circulation, and some people who obviously do not believe in deodorant.
So a few things have learned.
1. Every audition is totally worth it. You find out things about yourself and your confidence every time.
2. It is not necessarily to good to snap at the girl who assumes you suck because you didn't make it. (though we could all hear each other through the door REALLY easily and she really did)
3. Any time you might be traveling on a train be sure to wear deodorant and possibly care around a spare stick to give to those who haven't.
And last.
4. Work visas SUCK!!!!!!!!
Congrats on almost getting the part! That is awesome and sucky at the same time.
ReplyDeleteI don't know how you made it on the train. I would have had an episode and freaked out. Yuck.
P.S. I would have said something to that girl too, but I probably wouldn't have been nearly as nice as you :)